LOCATION VERENDRYE ND
Established Series
LLD-CJH
07/2016
VERENDRYE SERIES
The Verendrye series consists of very deep, poorly drained, rapidly permeable soils that formed in sandy glaciofluvial deposits. These soils are on glacial outwash plains and delta plains and have slopes of 0 to 1 percent. Mean annual air temperature is 39 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is 17 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, frigid Typic Endoaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Verendrye loamy coarse sand - of less than 1 percent slope in rangeland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated)
A1--0 to 6 inches; black (10YR 2/1) loamy coarse sand, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and very fine roots; slight effervescence; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
A2--6 to 10 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loamy coarse sand, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; few fine distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) redoximorphic concentrations; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and very fine roots; slight effervescence; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (Combined A horizons 10 to 16 inches thick)
C1--10 to 14 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) coarse sand, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; few fine distinct olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) redoximorphic concentrations; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and very fine roots; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
C2--14 to 20 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) coarse sand, light gray (2.5Y 7/2) dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and very fine roots; about 2 percent gravel; slight effervescence; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
C3--20 to 34 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) coarse sand, light olive gray (5Y 6/2) dry; common fine prominent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; about 1 percent gravel; slight effervescence; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
C4--34 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) coarse sand, light gray (2.5Y 7/2) dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; about 1 percent gravel; slight effervescence; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: McHenry County, North Dakota; about 12 miles south and 1 1/2 miles west of Towner; 2300 feet west and 1325 feet south of the northeast corner, sec. 9, T. 154 N., R. 76 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 10 to 16 inches. The average texture of the particle-size control section is typically coarse sand or loamy coarse sand, but in some pedons it is sand or loamy sand with appreciable amounts of coarse sand. These soils have carbonates in all parts.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, or is neutral, value of 2 or 3 and 3 to 5 dry, and chroma of 1 or less. It is coarse sandy loam, sandy loam or loamy coarse sand. It is neutral to moderately alkaline. Some pedons have an AC horizon.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y or is neutral, value of 4 to 6 and 6 or 7 dry, and chroma of 2 or less. It has chromas of 3 or 4 below 30 inches in some pedons. It has few to many redoximorphic features. It is typically coarse sand or loamy coarse sand, but some pedons have strata that are sand or loamy sand with appreciable amounts of coarse sand. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. The percent gravel ranges from 0 to about 10 percent in the C horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the
Fossum series. The Fossum soils have a 10- to 40-inch particle-size control section that is typically fine sand or sand.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Verendrye soils are in depressions on glacial outwash plains and delta plains and have slope of 0 to 1 percent. These soils formed in calcareous sandy glaciofluvial deposits of late Wisconsin age. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 37 to 45 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is from 15 to 20 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing
Fossum soils and the
Claire,
Hecla,
Karlsruhe,
Lohnes and
Ulen soils. Fossum soils are in similar positions as the Verendrye soils. Claire, Hecla and Lohnes soils are excessively to moderately well drained and are on higher landscape positions. The Karlsruhe and Ulen soils have a calcic horizon and are somewhat poorly drained. They are on slightly higher landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. Runoff is very slow. The soil has a wet soil moisture status at depths of 0.5 foot above the surface to 1.5 feet below the surface at some time during the period of March trough July. Permeability is rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for range and native hay. Native vegetation is predominantly switchgrass, northern reedgrass, prairie cordgrass, big bluestem, and a variety of sedges.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern and central North Dakota. The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: McHenry County, North Dakota, 1987.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 10 inches (A1 and A2 horizons); characteristics associated with wetness - distinct redoximorphic concentrations and chroma of 1 in the lower part of the mollic epipedon (A2 horizon).
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.